Caring For Yorkshire: Building CSR into education
RESPONSIBLE business organisation Business in the Community (BITC) is aiming to significantly increase the number of partnerships it has as part of its education scheme.
BITC runs a programme called Business Class partnerships – a programme which provides a framework for businesses to work with schools.
There are currently around 300 Business Class partnerships across the UK and BITC says its aim is to build 500 partnerships by 2015, which will positively impact on the lives of over 75,000 young people.
Head of community for Yorkshire, Humber and the North East at BITC, Olga Watterich, said: “It is so important to get these employment skills developed in young people. The relationship maintained can be really beneficial.”
Community and education adviser for Yorkshire Water, Anne Reed says that Yorkshire Water, as an engineering company, joined the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programme to work with schools to help children recognise how these subjects can lead to a successful and varied career.
“We need to head off the skills shortage in STEM subjects and it is
something the whole sector could focus on,” Reed said. “Yorkshire Water plans to take on 160 apprentices over the next five years which demonstrates how valuable it is to bring new talent into the business and develop it going forward.
“We need to attract talented youngsters if we are to find the engineers of the future, it is really important to demonstrate the wide range of careers on offer in our industry,” she added.
